Ear drum hole, Superhero Week

posted May 25, 2012, 8:10 AM by Manny Wilke

I finally took Manny to see Dr Danny in Beaver Dam to find out if Manny's ear drum had a hole in it. I procrastinated. I didn't want to know. But, sure enough, his Right ear drum does have a hole in it. That is why it got infected after he swam. That is why the alcohol ear drops burned his throat. This ear drum hole was just surgically repaired in January in California. Thankfully, after communicating with Dr Roberson, he says that we'll wait 1-2 years to repair it as his estachian tube must not be fully matured yet to handle a repaired ear drum. So, his hearing will be less in his good ear because of it and he will not be able to swim (unless we plug his ear canal properly). Thanks to Audiologist, Dr Jennifer, in Beaver Dam who gave us ear plug goo to shove in his fancy crystal ear plugs for when we swim. I must admit, this news put me over the edge and the waterfalls happened after we got back in the car (I always try to hide it from him). Manny asked "why are you crying mommy?" and I just told him that he works SO hard to have heathly ears and they are just not cooperating like they should. So, despite Dr Lewin wanting to be the "last one" to touch his ears (so the implant stays intact, etc) in August, we will need more surgery with Dr Roberson most likely just to repair the ear drum, in addition to any other future surgeries.

That night I opened my mail. I received a card from my friend, Dedee. "Sometimes there's a reason, even when we don't know what it is...a bigger picture, even when we can't see it. I'm not going to pretend to understand it. I'm just going to believe good things are part of that bigger picture for you." as well as a nice note from my Aunt Gail. You have no idea how little words of encouragement can help me keep plugging away.So, thank you :)

On a positive note, it has been a Superheros week at our house. Manny has worn a costume everyday to school and daycare....for no specific reason. But, not just a costume, he wears his shorts/t-shirt with his costume over it, then pants and a sweatshirt over that. It's like 80 degrees and I'm sweating just looking at him. But, he's Peter Parker with the whole get-up on, then strips down to Spiderman, then changes back to Peter Parker. Same with Batman and his alter ego. In fact, at the Varsity baseball game on Monday, Abe was hitting baseballs off a tee, Eli was batboy, but classic Manny could care less about the game as he was too busy was changing costumes/wardrobe behind the porta-potties, doing Spiderman fly-bys throughout the crowd, scaling the bleachers, then walking back as Peter Parker asking if anyone saw Spiderman. The opposing crowd was highly entertained as well.

Then, Dr Betsy posted this on my facebook wall and it made me SMILE!!! Blue Ear....I will hunt you down. And naturally, Marvel, I will hunt you down as well. You need a microtia book. Watch this awesome video from a recent news clip: http://www.wimp.com/hearingaid/